Supporters’ voices heard as ECB gets balance right

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Panesar is one of several recent debutants who impressedFile pic/Reuters

Christopher Martin-Jenkins

Published at 12:01AM, November 5 2012

Whatever England’s fate in India — and I am optimistic — the game in England
and Wales, like the national team itself, is once again in a state of happy
cohesion. This should only become more obvious now that the ECB has
belatedly agreed to listen to reason and stick to a 16-match County
Championship.

All the men representing England in India have cut their teeth in the four-day
game. Where once upon a time the gifted but diffident Mark Lathwell, of
Somerset, and, very briefly England, seemed somehow typical, the confident
and successful Test debuts of Monty Panesar, Kevin Pietersen, Alastair